7. RESULTS OF THE Revelation 19:17-21 17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the birds that fly in mid heaven,--The sun is the brightest shining orb in the world, and an angel so brilliant as to be distinguished when standing in the sun is beyond human description. This angel announced the result of the final conflict in a most impressive symbol. The fowls here mean birds of prey--those that eat flesh, and the image is that of such birds hovering over a battlefield ready to consume the bodies of the slain. Come and be gathered together unto the great supper of God; --In verse 9 the saved are invited to the "marriage supper of the Lamb," which evidently means the rewards to be given finally to the faithful; here the "supper of God" means that the punishment of the wicked will be like giving to birds of prey bodies slain in battle. The picture of bodies thus consumed is the horrible emblem of the final destiny of the lost. 18 that ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses and of them that sit thereon, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, and small and great.--John sees in the symbol the birds assembled to the battlefield to consume leaders, common men, and even animals. This means that the wicked of all classes will suffer the final banishment from God's presence. There will be no chance for rulers to escape any more than the common man; young and old will meet the same fate. 19 And I saw the beast, and the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against him that sat upon the horse, and against his army.--In Revelation 16:13-16 John sees three unclean spirits coming from the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet to gather the kings of the whole world together for the last struggle--"the war of the great day of God." Here lie sees that battle and its results. The hosts on both sides are assembled. This emblematic language means that evil on earth will be ended by the Lord at his coming, not that a real flesh and blood battle will be fought. This will include all kinds of evil represented by the beast and kings of the earth. 20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought the signs in his sight, wherewith he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast and them that worshipped his image:--On the identity of the beast and false prophet, see notes on Revelation 16:13. The fact that this language shows the false prophet wrought pretended miracles in the sight of the beast and deceived them who had received the "mark of the beast" indicates that the false prophet is the same as papal Rome. If so, then the "beast" would be political Rome in its so-called Christianized form while dominated by the papacy. This shows that in the last conflict corrupt political powers and false religions will both be used by Satan in his final effort to destroy Christianity. In the symbol John sees them both taken--defeated. The false prophet is a general expression broad enough to include all false teachers, and by implication all false systems of religion. they two were cast alive into the lake of fire that burneth with brimstone:--This means the end of these two kinds of wicked powers and the final punishment of those who supported them. The lake of fire refers to the last and complete torment of those banished from God forever. (Mark 9:47-48 ; Revelation 14:10-11; Revelation 20:14-15.) The last reference says the lake of fire is the second death which will take place when death and Hades are cast into that lake. This is final in showing that this paragraph refers to the separation of the good and bad at the judgment. 21 and the rest were killed with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, even the sword which came forth out of his mouth: and all the birds were filled with their flesh.--This is what John saw in the vision. Seeing the armies that followed the beast and false prophet killed with a sword and the birds feeding upon their flesh means that those who practice sin in corrupt politics or religion will be condemned to everlasting punishment. Thus again in this symbol we have seen the final conflict between sin and righteousness end in the vindication of Christ and his teaching. A decision from which there is no new hearing. LESSON 23. GOD IS PRAISED AND THE KING OF KINGS APPEARS Read Rev. 19 1. After the fall of Babylon unto whom did the voice of a heavenly multitude ascribe salvation, glory and power? Ans. Revelation 19:1. 2. With what kind of judgment did God judge the great harlot? Ans. Revelation 19:2. 3. Whose blood did he avenge? Ans. Revelation 19:2. 4. What did the heavenly multitude say a second time? Ans. Revelation 19:3. 5. Tell what the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures said and did. Ans. Revelation 19:4. 6. What was said by the voice from the throne? Ans. Revelation 19:5. 7. Describe the voice that uttered the third Hallelujah. Ans. Revelation 19:6. 8. Give two reasons why the heavenly host should rejoice and glorify God at this time. Ans. Revelation 19:7. 9. In what was the wife arrayed? Ans. Revelation 19:8. 10. What is the "fine linen" with which she is clothed? Ans. Revelation 19:8. 11. What was John told to write? Ans. Revelation 19:9. 12. Whose words were these? Ans. Revelation 19:9. 13. Then what did John endeavor to do, and how was he prevented? Ans. Revelation 19:10. 14. Who alone should be worshiped? Ans. Jno. 4: 24; Matthew 4:10. 15. What appeared when the heaven was opened? Ans. Revelation 19:11. 16. Describe the person on the white horse. Ans. Revelation 19:12-13. 17. Who followed him? Ans. Revelation 19:14. 18. What was the weapon of his warfare, and what was the instrument of his rule? Ans. Revelation 19:15. 19. What was his name and where was it written? Ans. Revelation 19:16. 20. What were all the birds commanded to do by the angel standing in the sun? Ans. Revelation 19:17-18. 21. For what purpose did the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies gather together? Ans. Revelation 19:19. 22. How were the beast and the false prophet disposed of? Ans. Revelation 19:20. 23. How were the rest destroyed? Ans. Revelation 19:21. FOR CLASS I. Discuss the church as the bride of Christ, paying special notice to the duties and responsibilities implied by the marriage illustration.